What I mean by *genuine* is you are *actually* working w/ a buyer - your buyer is real. A lot of agents claim to have a buyer interested just to get their foot in the FSBO door. FSBO's aren't stupid & they will catch on to those agents. But I had success saying that I would like to preview the property in case I come across a buyer & were they willing to co-op. Most FSBO's were willing to co-op.

And an in person visit/knock on the door is a much more effective way of prospecting FSBO's IMO. There's no reason to be scared of the DNC because you can knock on the door

Exactly, but when I call a FSBO, I don't know if I have someone genuinely interested in their home, since I have never seen it. Who can say with 100 percent certainty that they have a buyer that is genuinely interested in a home that the buyer has never seen? Noone.

Regardless, my point is that I do not call a FSBO to get the listing. I call to get some information and to view the home. Then I can either forget about the home for whatever reason, keep it in mind for potential buyers, buid rapport to continue speaking to the Seller, etc etc.

I'm not arguing with you Tanya, I actually work pretty much like you do. I just think the rules for calling a FSBO on the DNC are stupid.... unless you are stupid enough to lead off your call with "Let me list your home!" , which, actually, a lot of Agents do.

Agent 007 ..."You have to make yourself stand out from the crowd and there are only a few ways of doing that on the phone" ..... I am still waiting to hear how you do it....

I agree with you ScoFla & my point was not to "pretend" you have a buyer & go to the home with your brother as the interested buyer just to get inside. I don't see a problem approaching them with the attitude that you meet buyers every day so you'd liek to preview the home & have it in your inventory

Yes this thread has gotten way off topic while we all wait for Agent007's response. I was originally inquiring on how to work FSBO's, not which ones I could or could not work.

I think his answer was to simply go see the house, build some rapport and work the lead, instead of barging in their door demanding the listing which many Agents do.

First, I only visit FSBO's in my immediate area. Although I cover the entire county, I concentrate on my own city. I do go to broker's open houses and open houses in general in order to know what is on the market. I explain to the FSBO that as I see buyers all the time, I would like to preview the house in order to know the entire market - not just listed properties. I put it in the context of just "doing my job". I don't see this as a violoation of the DNC list. Its a sensible request and its pretty obvious that it is in the sellers best interest that I actually see the property. I would never discuss a listing on the first visit. think its smoother than "I have a customer that may be interested in your home". This way, you are never stretching the truth.

I have listed, sold, and double ended two FSBO's within the past 3 months so I know a thing or two about working with FSBO's. I am actually going to be covering this on one of my upcoming Conference Calls. You new agents, contact me and I will give you a script that I use and learned from along with a great website on working with FSBO's. I highly suggest you read "Mastering the Art of Selling Real Estate" by Tom Hopkins.

Hey, I'm from Providence, RI. Can you send me that information about FSBOs? My email is: lenm@americanagrp.com. Thanks.